Higher Learning Advocates Report Explores Public Perception of College Students

Title: How Well Do We Really Know Today’s Students?

Source: Higher Learning Advocates

A recent report by Higher Learning Advocates covers findings from a set of surveys around the perception of today’s college students.

The authors asked a representative sample of 1,000 Americans and a sample of education policy experts a battery of true or false questions regarding their assumptions on the facts surrounding college students. The comparison of responses shows a difference in understanding between these two groups about who enrolls in college.

Survey questions included a variety of facts about students, including age, living arrangements, work status, financial support, and other demographics. Overall, the general public seemed to answer correctly anywhere from 37 to 81 percent of the time. Responses from education policy experts, however, reflect a better understanding of the profile of today’s college student than the general public, with this group correctly answering the questions 85 to 100 percent of the time.

For more information, see this fact sheet or read the original report.

—Ben Schaap